Social Welfare Policy

Social welfare policy
The Midterm Exam is in a short answer/essay format. It will cover lectures, readings, and media from Weeks 1-5.  Short-Answer questions are worth 10 points each and are expected to be 3-4 sentences. 2 essay questions are worth 15 points each and expected to be at least 5-6 sentences.  You will be evaluated on thoroughness of content, clarity, coherence, and how well you use your critical-thinking skills to answer the questions and not merely paraphrase answers from the text, lecture, or other materials. Please paraphrase and do not use quotes in your answers.
Short Answer Questions: (10 points each)

1. State and describe the major theory of social change. Do you believe that society is changing/progressing or is it an unending cycle? Give at least two examples.
2. What are five major components of the policy model? Name the distinctive characteristics of each one.
3. The reading and lecture state that changes in social welfare policy develops from conflict and tension. Explain in your own words why and how this process occurs. Give at least two examples.
4. List the three main debates that involve the economy and social welfare. In your own words, briefly discuss the conflict between efficiency and equality.
5. A paradigm shift happened during the 1960s and 1970s that changed the study and understanding of “collective behavior.” State and briefly discuss what led to this major shift in public policy and what was the impact on the social movement theory?
6. Briefly state how the significance of race was reinforced in housing policies. What was the negative effects of housing policies and how ae they evident in the present day?
7. For most people to participate in social movements, the social movement message must make sense. Briefly discuss the role of “collective action frames” in winning supporters, accumulating resources, and legitimizing the cause of a social movement.

Essay Questions: (15 points each)

1. Drawing on the “four political opportunity structures” discussed in the readings, assess the current political climate for using “collective action” to fight for social change. How would you incorporate aspects of social justice?
2. How does the principle of “less eligibility” operate in income security programs? In which programs is the principle most relevant? In which program is it least relevant? Discuss which factors account for this difference and why.